Skip to content

Four guitars, four violins stolen from well-known Surrey musician

Mike Sanyshyn shared theft details on Facebook Friday morning
19105680_web1_191025-PAN-M-sanyshyn-instruments
Cloverdale musician Mike Sanyshyn is hoping instruments stolen from a storage locker will be recovered. (File photos)

A popular Cloverdale fiddler with strong ties to South Surrey took to social media this morning in the hopes of tracking down instruments stolen from a storage locker.

Mike Sanyshyn said on Facebook that several instruments were taken, including three he doesn’t have photos for. He described those as a handmade jumbo-sized 12-string acoustic guitar with brass strap pin; a double hard-shell violin case with two Germain Stainer violins, “one with raised f holes dark blonde finish and other more strad like”; and an unnamed brilliant varnished violin in a black nylon case with a spruce/maple back.

The latter had a finishing nail under the neck, Sanyshyn added.

Photos of other instruments taken show a 1980s white violin with pearl inlay on the top and back, made by John Streigler; a 1992 Takamine FP-592G limited-edition guitar; a Martin vintage hard-shell case with Sigma Dreadnought acoustic; and a Fender Squire electric bass with white pick guard.

Sanyshyn – well-known and respected both locally and beyond for his prowess on the fiddle and mandolin – told Peace Arch News he believes the theft occurred within the last 10 days.

He said discovered it after stopping by his storage unit, located near 176 Street and 40 Avenue, on Wednesday (Oct. 23) evening to pick up some equipment. He said there was no physical evidence of a break in – even the unit’s lock was untouched – but he noticed that items were out of place. It clicked in later that things were missing, and he returned Thursday morning to take stock.

Sanyshyn believes whoever took the instruments crawled through a gap at the top of the storage unit’s wall.

He described the theft as “quite a hit” to himself and wife Tianna, including sentimentally. One of the stolen violins was gifted to Sanyshyn, as was the 12-string guitar. A guitar Tianna received from her parents was also stolen.

Sanyshyn – an Earl Marriott Secondary alumnus who has opened for the likes of Trisha Yearwood, Terri Clark and Alan Jackson, and just last weekend, scored a pair of accolades at the B.C. Country Music Association awards – hasn’t done the math on the financial loss, but said all of the instruments are valuable, “in some capacity.”

They’ve reported the theft to police and moved what’s left of the unit’s contents to another location, he added.

Sanyshyn’s Facebook post garnered copious comments, and as of Friday afternoon, had been shared more than 500 times.

Anyone who comes across the stolen instruments or with information on their location is asked to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.



tholmes@peacearchnews.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter



Tracy Holmes

About the Author: Tracy Holmes

Tracy Holmes has been a reporter with Peace Arch News since 1997.
Read more